Folding device



L. L. SALFISBERG.

FOLDING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, 1920. L ifi fil 110 2 SHEE TS-SHEET 1- Pmmnbed 00%. 117 11922.,

L L. SALFISBERG.

FOLDING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, I920.

Pammed Oct. 17 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

40 sitioned in operative relation to the Patented @ch 17, 1922.

UNHTEE STATES Parent en ance,

LEROY 1L. SALFISBERG, or NEWARK, NEW JEEsEY, assreNoE 'ro rvEEs-EEE 1 oonraNY, or NEWAEE, NEW JERSEY, a CORPORATION or DELAWARE.

FOLDING DEVICE.

Application filed November 10, 1920. Serial No. 23,046.

To all whom it my concern:

Be it known that l, LEROY L. SALFISBERG, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented an Tmrovement in Folding Devices, of whichthe ollowing is a specification.

The present invention relates to an improvement in folding devices for articles in to strip form, such for example as packages containing a plurality of articles secured in h a tubular container and spaced apart at suitable intervals. The folding device may form an integral part of a packaging ma- 'chine adapted to make a package of the continuous stri type referred to, or it may be a separate unit,

One embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the drawings accompanying the present specification, and in which Figure 1 is a front elevation, Figure 2, a transverse vertical section on the line 2 2 of Figure 1, Figure 3, an end elevation with the crimping apparatus removed, 7 1

Figure 4, a rear view with a portion of the housing and a portion of the crimping roll shafts in'vertical section,

Figure 5, a detail in transverse vertical so section showing the guide box for the folded package, 1 v

F'gure 6, a fragmentary view illustrating the strippers meshingwith the folding members, and

Figure 7, a detail view in transverse horizontal section illustrating a form of cuttingoif device.

Referring now to Figure 1, the folding device of the present invention is shown opo- 1scharge end of a packaging machine which includes a feeding arrangement comprising chains 1 and 2 actuated to move a'package 3 of irregular shape in the direction indicated by the arrow. The package illustrated consists of a tubular paper container enclosing tablets, powders, or the like, said tablets being spaced apart by crimped portions, thus forming a continuous stripof enclosed articles, the portions of Sfi,1(l Sl7I'lp which contain the tablets being relatively thick, while the intervening or crimped portions are relatively thin, being not more than the combined thickness of the paper and adhesive material forming the tubular enclosing member. The crimping rollers 41 and 5 and a suitable severing device 6 preferably positioned in advance of said cr1mping members in the direction of movement of the stri and more clearly shown in Fig ures 3 an ,7, form a part of the complete packaging machine.

Where the folding device is integral with the packaging machine or continuous with the operation thereof, it will be positioned in advance of the severing device, preferably as illustrated in Figure l, andmay comprise a pair of cooperating strip engaging and moving members 7 and 8 mounted on shafts 9 and 10 respectively, said shafts being geared together, as shown in Figure 2, and driven by'means of a gear 11 actuatedfrom any suitable source of power,

preferably the driving mechanism of the package forming machine. The members 7 and 8 are of the same construction-and each consists of a plurality of radial arms 12, the free end of each arm havin at its forward part a curved article engaging surface 13 and a rearward angular terminal portion l f. The article engaging and mov ing members are also preferably slotted as indicated in Figure 2, said slots being proportioned' and positioned to receive stripping members 15 (Figure 6), mounted in the framework of the machine, their inner surfaces forming the upper and lower surfaces. respectively of the receiving end of a package guiding'box portion 16, having at one side a resilient ,member 17 (Figure-5) adapted to exert yielding, lateral. pressure on the folded article as it is pushed forward through the box 16.

jWhere' the folding device. forms a part of the packaging machine, it is desirable to have the folderactuating shafts 9 and 10 geared in synchronism with the crimping;

and severingmechanism. Thus, referring to Figure. 3, the knife 6 is operated by a cam 18 mounted on a shaft 19, said cam cooperating with a bell crank lever 20 having at itsfree end a rack 21 engaging a pinion 22 loosely mounted on ahub 23 of {a slotted plate 24:, said plate being securely attached to a slidable bolt 25 mounted a recess in the framework oftheanachine and holdin ,a stationary cutter member 26 yieldingly flirough a spring 27 against the knife blade 6 which is secured to the pinion 22 and oscillates therewith. The plate 24; is prevented from rotating by a detent 35,

(Figure 3), extending into a corresponding notch in the periphery of the plate. The shaft 10 also carries a gear 28 actuated by intermediate gearing with the shaft 19 which drives the severing mechanism. Thus, when it is desired to readjust the machine so as to sever strips containing a different number of units, the connecting gearing between the crimpin on the one hand and the fol ing and the severing devices on the other will be changed. In other words, assuming that the machine with a given crimping rate and spacing is operating in such a manner as to cut strips of 12 units each and it is desired to adjust the machine so that it will cut strips of 20 units each, a proper ad'ustment of the gearing connecting the cum};- ing mechanism with the severing and the \folding devices must be made. In operation the strip 3, after passing the severing device advances into engagement v with the folding members which are so positioned with relation to each other that the rounded end of the strip engaging arms 11- will engage the article containing portions of said strip with a wiping contact, at

. the same time pushing said ortions for- ,l. Ward and beyond into the pa age guiding box 16. The angular end 14: of each of the folding members engages the strip at a thin portion and; the distance between said angular end of a strip engaging arm and a relatively flat portion of an adjacent arm on '40, the other folding member is sufficient to accommodate the thin portion of the strip without deforming or injuring it. Similarly, the distance between the rounded or .owiping faceof a strip-engaging arm of one member and a' relativelyflat face of an ad- I j acent arm 'of the other membenwill be Suficient to accommodate a filled portion of the container/without crushin or injuring the articlecontained. When t e parts are properl positioned. and. synchronized as -described, thepackage in strip form-willbe bent by the folding mechanism across an empty or crimped portion thereof preferably adjacent to a filled portion. This per- :vv mits the formation of a package with theenclosed articles in zigzag arrangement. In order that the operator may more read- 'ily have access to the folders, a portion 29 of the housing is hinged at 30 and31, said por-f 6o tion .129havin a small projection 32-extending rearwar ly. and engaging a spring mechanism.

holding the shaft 33 will be compressed and the portion 29 will swing forward and downward so as to give access to the folders for adjustment or other manipulation.

I claim as my invention:

1. A folding device for articles'in strip form and having alternating relatively thick and thin portions, comprising cooperating rotatable members having radial arms, each arm having a rounded face for engaging the relatively thick portions of the article and moving the same and an angular end engagin the relatively thin portions of the artic e and cooperating with the rounded face to effect transverse bending of said article.

2. A folding device for articles in strip form and having alternating relatively thick and thin portions, comprising cooperating rotatable members having radial arms, each arm having a surface positioned and adapted for wiping engagement with the relatively thick portions of the article to move 7 the same and an angular end engaging the relatively thin portions of the article and cooperating with said wiping surface to effeet transverse bending .of said article.

' 3. A folding device for articles in strip form comprising the rotatable article engag: ingcmembers 7 and 8 having radial' armsach provided with the rounded portion 13,95 said rounded portions of one' member coop- Y crating with the relatively straight portions 12 of the other member tomo've the article by predetermined. increments and-to bend said. article transversely. a

j 4:. A- folding device for articles in strip form comprising a pair of rotatable article engaging elements mounted on spaced shafts, each element comprising a pluralityof article engaging radial arms having'parallel longitudinal slots, article guiding and stripping members operatively engaging said slots, and means for rotating the article enga ing elements simultaneously.

5. A fo ding device for articles in strip; 11a form comprising cooperating article engaging members for moving and bending the ing contact, the members. being rotatably -mounted on spaced'shafts, and means in the f path of the bent strip or article toguide the same andto exert yielding resistance to the movementthereof.

12a 6. A'folding device for articles in strip forgi comprising a pair of rotatable cooperating-elements provided with article bending and moving arms each having a forward .article engaging face of different contour from its rearward article engaging face. pressed detentl33 which serves to hold said portion 29 normally inflffolder protecting or covering position. It {is' 'clear that, by pull- ,1 65 ing down on the thumb-piece 34, the spring a7. A'folding device for articles in strip form comprising a pairof rotatable cooperticle engaging face of curved contour and a article engaging face of curved contour and rearward article engaging face of a contour a flat rearward article engaging face.

different from that of the forward face. In testimony whereof, I have signed my 10 8. A folding device for articles in strip name to this specification this 29th day of form comprising a pair of rotatable cooper- October 1920.

ating elements provided with article. bending and moving arms each having a forward LEROY SALFISBERGP 

